


A New Friend

by Izora



Series: Albus Potter and the Lights in the Forest. [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-10
Updated: 2013-01-10
Packaged: 2017-11-24 09:04:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/632715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izora/pseuds/Izora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well I hope to have the next chapter out before May. Being in school really sucks the time out of my day other wise I would write faster. also it takes me a while to research so I can follow the canon to the letter.</p>
        </blockquote>





	1. A New Friend

Albus had spent the whole car ride having to deal with James. James, who was angry that he got stuck with the middle seat again, had spent the whole ride shoving Albus into the door of the car, that was, until their mum told him off. From that point on James took up his new favorite taunt.  
"You are going to be in Slytherin where you belong." James hissed in barely a whisper.  
James had been telling Albus this for about two weeks now, and even though Al knew he shouldn't let it bother him, it did.   
"Shut up James" Al mumbled. But he didn't; in fact, James continued to hassle him about it all the way to the barrier between platform nine and ten.  
"The whole families going to disown when you get sorted into Slytherin." James said.  
Al had had enough "I Won't! I won't be in Slytherin!" he shouted.  
"James, give it a rest!" their mum said.  
"I only said he might be," said James smirking at Al, Al hated that smirk. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slytherin" but then James saw the look his mum had and fell silent. Even James wasn't daring enough to challenge their mum.  
James shot Albus one more arrogant look before he and the trolley disappeared into the barrier. Al then took his moment of freedom to turn to his parents and ask "You'll write to me, won't you?"  
Albus was going to miss them. What if he didn't make friends, or worst what if everyone in Gryffindor was like James?  
His mum smiled at him "Every day, if you want us to," she said.  
"Not every day," said Albus quickly, if everyone in Gryffindor was like James he didn't want to give them a reason to make fun of him "James says most people only get letters from home about once a month."   
"We wrote to James three times a week last year," his mum said reassuringly.   
"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," his dad said. "He likes a laugh, your brother."   
Al ran forward and through the barrier and was greeted by copious amounts of think white smoke billowing from the scarlet steam engine. He looked around, most people were obscured by the mist, and James had obviously vanished into the mist as well, but that wasn't who he was looking for.  
"Where are they?" Al asked his mum anxiously, peering at each of the hazy faces they passed he and his parents made their way toward the end of the platform.  
"We'll find them," his mum said assuredly.   
They continued for a little while longer till his mum said suddenly "I think that's them, Al."   
Al looked toward where his mother was pointing and sure enough there they were his aunt, uncle, Hugo, and more importantly his cousin Rose.  
"Hi," Albus shouted he was relieved; Rose was the one person in his family who understood him best.   
"Hi Al are you ready?" Rose asked.  
"Umm yes of course I am." Albus smiled.   
Unconvinced, Rose said "don't worry if nothing else you'll have me."  
Al frowned that's what he was afraid of "It's not very cool to only be friends with your cousin."   
"Al you'll have plenty of friends, don't let James get to you."   
"I'm not letting James get…" He said until he saw the look from of cousin. "fine."  
He couldn't believe it was that obvious that James was getting to him. Rose was called over by her father minute later. At that very moment James reappeared obviously have having already set up in a cabin with his friends because his truck was gone. James had come back to tell everyone about his revelation of Teddy and Veronica's relationship a point which everyone had already come to, except James.  
Al continues to be lost in his own thoughts and worries about whether he be placed in Slytherin or not until his dad said "it's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."   
Al went over to the trolley but before he could head out James call out to him "see you later Al, watch out for the thestrals."   
"I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!" Albus said in the panic.  
"Thestrals are nothing to worry about," his dad told him. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."  
Al's mom came over to kiss him goodbye "see you at Christmas." She said.   
"By, Al." His dad said as he embraced him. "Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you're learned how. And don't let James wind you up."   
This was it Al had to ask it was now or never. If anyone knew how the family would react it is his dad.   
"What if I'm in Slytherin?" he whispered so only his dad could hear. As he asked this Al wanted to stay strong but this fear was stronger than he had realized, as hot tears began to fight to surface. His dad crouched down to his height and smiled gently. The next thing his father said may have been the most important thing he had ever said to Albus, it was one of those things you never forget no matter how old you get.  
"Albus Severus you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."  
Albus wanted for those words to be enough but "but just say…" Albus asked apprehensively   
"Then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matter to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."  
As Albus listen he couldn't believe it "really?" he asked  
"It did for me." His father said as he stood up.  
His mum ushered him onto the train as the warning whistle blew. And as she closed the door behind him he noticed that most of the students weren't waving to their families, instead they were turned in the direction of his father.  
"Why are they all staring?" He demanded as he looked out the window.   
"Don't let it worry you," said his uncle Ron. "It's me, I'm extremely famous."   
Albus rolled his eyes he knew it was because his dad defeated the famous dark wizard, but still he was just his dad and compared to his aunt Hermione his magic was second rate. How his dad could defeat the most powerful wizard ever, when he can't fend off the bat-bogey hex that his mum would put on him when she got her temper up, was beyond him.   
The train lurched forward and began to gather speed. Al continued to wave at his parents until the platform disappeared from sight and was replaced with lush green trees and rolling hills.   
Al turned away from the window to face the compartments hallway that was filled with rows of glass cabin doors. He walked down the hallway of the compartment peering in each room as he passed looking for his cousin and brother. It wasn't long before he found them, James and four of his friends and Rose. It was already very crowded, there was only one seat left next to Rose. Al slid the door open but as he did the brown haired kid closest to the door stood up and blocked the entrance.   
"Sorry but no Slytherins allowed." The boy said.  
Everyone in the compartment laughed except Rose, she pulled out a book and disappeared from the trouble at hand. Al didn't blame her if she did say something it would only make it worse for him, for being protected by a girl.   
"You'd better move out of the way Derek, if he cries to mummy I'll have hell to pay." James said.  
This boy must be Derek McLaggen. James had talked about him to their mum over the summer, apparently they were best mates. Derek took his seat laughing with the rest as Al lugged his trunk into the cabin. As Al attempted to lift his heavy trunk into the luggage rack the boys in the compartment began to hiss at him. It was as Al feared they were all on James's side all of them ready to give him hell just for the fun of it. Al set his trunk back down; there was no way he was going to get it up there by himself anyway. Furiously his turned to James who was laughing with the rest at his struggle.  
"Oh come on Al, relax… Slytherin is not that bad, I'm sure you'll have fun with all your dark and brooding friends." James said smirking at Al.   
Al absolutely hated that look, the look like he was better than everyone else. Fuming Al dragged his trunk back out of the cabin. He could deal with James if he had to but James and his posy? No way.   
"Shut up, all of you. Albus come back, ignore them," Rose pleaded.  
Al stopped and was about to return when James chimed in again.  
"Yes, come back Al, Rose will protect you." James retorted.   
Al picked up his trunk and cage and left, heaving the trunk as fast as he could, putting as much distance as possible between him and the uproar of laughter now swelling out of there cabin. He walked past cabin after cabin and compartment after compartment trying to find an empty cabin but to no prevail. With each consecutive cabin he pasted there seemed to be more and more people in each one.  
Entering the last of the trains compartments he was about to give up and sit in the hall, until near the back of the last compartment there was a cabin with only one boy in it. The boy, who couldn't be much older than himself, was staring out the window looking very bored at the passing scenery. He was blond with pale skin and from the looks of it just a few inches taller than himself. Al slid open the door.   
"Excuse me; I was wondering if I could sit here with you, all the other cabins are full." Al said.  
The boy looked at Al for a minute before answering and then replied "sure"  
Al smiled, grateful he wouldn't have to sit in the hall or worse go back to his brother's cabin in defeat. He dragged his trunk over the threshold and carefully set his great horned owl, Ptolemy, on the bench. Al began to lift his trunk into the luggage rack when the boy came up to help. With his help he was able to get it up there. Al sat down near the window opposite of the boy.   
"Thanks," Al said as he sat down "Are you a first year?"  
"Yes" the boy replied "you?"  
"Same." Al said "I'm Albus…well actually I go by Al. I think Albus sounds boring."   
"It's not that bad at least your name can be shortened. My name is Scorpius and Scorpius can't really be shortened. I wish it could, I hate it." Scorpius said.  
"I like Scorpius it sounds cool, but if you don't like your name, then why don't you go by your middle name?" Al asked.  
Scorpius shrugged "because my middle name is worse."  
"Oh come off it, it can't be worse than mine. Mine is Severus."   
"No it's worse than that." Scorpious said avoiding Al's eyes.  
"What is it then? Come on tell me."  
"Promise you won't tell?" Scorpius asked. Al shook his head yes and Scorpius sighed and said, "Hyperion."   
"Ok you were right, that is worse." Al said. "But I still like Scorpius why don't you?"   
"It's a stupid family tradition. Everyone names their kid after some kind of celestial body. So I'm named after the constellation Scorpio. Dumb right?" Scorpius looked up at Al.  
"Not as dumb as naming your kid after two of Hogwarts headmasters." Al said.  
For the first time Scorpius smiled "yah, I guess not."  
Al smiled back at him the two sat there for a while looking out the window until Al said "It can be shorted you know."   
"What can?" Scorpius said looking up from the window.  
"Your name. You could be score or skip?" Al said   
"No, score is what you do in quidditch and skip is just dumb." Scorpius said and returned to looking out the window.  
"Well how about Scorp?" Al asked hopefully  
"Scorp?" Scorpius thought about it for a second "ok Scorp's not bad. You can call me Scorp if you want to." Scorp beamed obviously pleased to have been given a nickname.  
Al was happy too, Happy that he may have just made his first friend. After that they spent a long time taking about quidditch and the matches they had been to. Scorpius was in awe when Albus told him his mum was seeker for the Holyhead Harpies before James was born. Then they talked about tryouts.  
"Did you know, that when our parents were at Hogwarts they didn't allow first years to try out?" Scorp said   
Al did know. His dad had come home all excited the day that the new head of the department of magical games and sports was sworn in because it meant they were going to repeal the rule.  
"Personal I hope to make chaser, I was practicing all summer." Scorp said "how about you?"   
"I would love to be a seeker but I'll never get in, my brother made seeker last year and even though I'm better they would never pick me over him." Al said disheartedly.  
Scorp was about to ask something when the door slid open.   
"Hey Al look come on back we'll stop." James said entering the cabin holding out his hand to his little brother  
Al didn't take it. "Why?"  
"Because if you tell mum we kicked you out of the cabin I'll be in big trouble." James said   
"No I don't want to and don't worry I won't tell mum." Al protested   
"What?" James said retracting his hand "Why? Do you want to sit here with, with… who are you, really?" James gestured at Scorp.   
"Scorpius Malfoy" Scorp said.  
"WHAT! You're telling me you'd rather sit with a Malfoy than your own family? You know what our family thinks of their kind." James yelled.   
"Your last name is Malfoy?" Al asked his new friend but before he could respond James said "No. there is no way I'm letting you stay here. Now come with me back to the cabin. Now."  
"You are not letting me do anything. You don't control me. I want to stay here and that's what I'm going to do. You can just shut up and leave me alone." Al was furious he was tired of how James acted like the world revolved around him, he hated it. James just stood there dumb founded for a moment fuming at his brother words.   
"Fine." James said "stay and hope you do get in Slytherin. You'd deserve it."   
He turned on his heel and without another word he was gone.   
"So that's your brother." Scorp said.  
"Sorry I did not mean for you to be involved." Al said "and it's not true my family doesn't hate your family. Well some of them do but not my parents."   
"Is your last name Weasley or Potter?" Scorp asked suddenly.   
"It's Potter. Sorry I forgot to tell you. How did you know?" Al asked taken aback by this random question.   
"My dad told me to avoid anyone with red hair because they would most likely be a Potter or a Weasley. You brother has reddish hair. I didn't realize that not all of you have red hair." Scorp said apprehensively   
"I'm the only one of my cousins and siblings not to have red hair." Al replied   
They sat in silence for a while each of them wondering what this would mean for their new found friendship.   
Scorpius was the first to break the silence. "Why did you stay? Weren't you told not to be friends with me?"   
"Yes. That's what my uncle told me, but I never listen to him, he's not exactly the smartest person in the world. And they must have been wrong about your family because you're not a terrible person at all in fact you're brilliant." Al smiled hopeful.   
Scorp grinned back at Al. "You too. But your brother on the other hand, is he always like that?"   
"Yah, I can't stand him." Al said beaming   
Scorp smiled but as Albus watched him he saw a thought enter into his mind and the smile run away from Scorp's face. "What house will you be in?" Scorp asked   
Truthfully Al hadn't thought of the sorting since he stood on the platform. He had just enjoyed his time talking to Scorpius he forgotten all about it. He wasn't smart enough for Ravenclaw and he broke the rules far too much to be in Hufflepuff. That just left Gryffindor right? But the image of James and his friends all pitted against Albus and all of them Gryffindors, floated into his mind. Did he really want that? But what else was there, Slytherin, could he really be a Slytherin?  
"I don't know." Al said. And it was true he really didn't know. "Are you going to be In Slytherin?"  
"Yes, it's really the only house I belong in. You know if you did get in Slytherin you could be the seeker." Scorp said as he looked at Al.  
Albus smiled; maybe his dad was right, Slytherins weren't that bad.   
"Maybe. It would be nice not to be known as James's little brother and I wouldn't have to deal with James." Al said mostly to himself.  
"Yah and if you get sorted into Slytherin you know you'd have a friend." Scorp said while looking at his feet.   
Al smiled. Just then the trolley lady passed by, and asked them if they wanted anything. They both bought some cauldron cakes and pumpkin pasties. As they ate their treats and talked about which classes they were most excited to take, the sun slowly sunk in the horizon and they knew it was time to don their new Hogwarts robes. It wasn't long after that that the train began to lose speed and stop. The boys gathered their belongings and made their way out on the platform. The platform swelled with kids all in black robes all making their way through the crowd.   
"First years! First years over here!"  
Albus and Scorpius both turned in the direction of the booming voice. It was Hagrid. Albus knew Hagrid he had been invited over for Christmas before. Al led the way Scorp following behind him. When they got close they saw a whole group of first years huddled around Hagrid's feet, among them was Rose. Rose turned as they approached and ran to hug Al around the neck.   
"Al James told us you didn't want to come back to the cabin and then he wouldn't say why. What happened?" she said squeezing Al around the neck. When she let go he introduced her to Scorp and then explained to her what happened.   
"Oh James is such a brute sometimes, he has no tact at all." She said furrowing her brow in disapproval. "Scorpius I'm sorry he acted like that but you must know not all of us think badly of you and your family."   
"Yah I know." Scorp said "Al made that clear enough."   
But before anyone could say anything else, Hagrid saw them and called out to them.  
"Albus! Blimey is that you? You look just like your dad." Hagrid peered down his beard at the three of them.  
"Hi Hagrid!" Al said looking up at the giant man.  
"Well I guess it's time to be leaving don't want to be late." Hagrid said before he called out to all of the first years now surrounding them. "All right everyone follow me."  
They all follow Hagrid down a shady path to the edge of a lake. Looking across the lake they could see the castle reflected in the still waters. At the edge of the lake there were rows of little boats bobbing up and down in the water.   
Hagrid shouted "No more than four to a boat."  
Rose, Al and Scorpius filed into the nearest boat and Hagrid joined them. As the boats began to travel across the still waters unaided by the occupants Hagrid asked "Who might you be."   
"Scorpius Malfoy." Scorp stated.  
"Oh you look A lot like him, your dad." Hagrid said confused as to why Albus would be around this kid.  
"Lots of people tell me that." Scorp said   
"What house do you think you'll be in Scorpius?" Hagrid asked trying to find a redeeming quality   
"Slytherin." Scorp said defiantly   
"Oh" Hagrid said for lack of a better word.  
But Rose, being the clever girl she was, knew what that might mean for Albus. "What house do you think you'll be in Al?" Rose asked.  
Al knew what she meant by that. She meant if your friend is in Slytherin, will you want to be in Slytherin? To that Al didn't know what to say all he knew was if he was in Gryffindor he would be unhappy and forever in James's shadow. If was in Slytherin he would be happy but he would forever be the black sheep of the family. He didn't know which was worse.   
"I don't know maybe I'll just be a Hufflepuff." Al said halfheartedly   
"A Hufflepuff? Al, don't you want to be in Gryffindor like everyone else?" Hagrid said taken aback by all that had happened.  
"I don't know." Al said looking down at his feet.  
Rose always knew what to say, that was one of the reasons Al liked her best. "Al it's what you want, don't let other people tell you what you should do. Even if you get in Slytherin I'd still be your friend. We're family, Al, that's what we're here for."  
Al smiled he knew what he should do. Perhaps he had known all along and didn't want to admit it. Now that his dad and his cousin Rose had both told him, he knew. He valued their opinions more than anyone else. The only question now was, was he brave enough? He never describe himself as brave he was always warily before making any choices, it probably had a lot to do with his older brother. Could he, did he dare? He was frightened of the answer.  
As the boats came upon the castle there was a collective gasp from the first years. Al was among them as they floated in the warm glow of the castle windows. There was nothing quite like Hogwarts. The boats arrived at a small landing near the castle. All of the first years exited the little boats and stood in the little area In front of the door leading into the castle. A tall witch with dark hair, eyes, and skin in olive-colored robes and a pointed hat appeared through the door. She looked to be a very strict woman making the few first years that were talking fall silent at the sight of her.  
"Welcome to Hogwarts, I'm professor Sinistra, deputy headmistress and head of Ravenclaw house. Tonight you will be sorted into one of the four Hogwarts houses. All Hogwarts students live in one of four residences: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. Each house has its own team for Quidditch. The houses are in a yearlong competition with one another to acquire the most points, which are earned by success in Quidditch games, answering questions correctly in class and other things during school which teachers feel they deserve points for. Points are lost for student infractions. So I hope for all of you to be on your best behavior during your time here at Hogwarts. Now if you will all follow me the sorting can begin."   
The first years followed her through the door. As Albus entered what he thought was going to be a room but as he passed the threshold he saw it was not room but an enormous hallway, the vaulted ceiling was so high it that I could not be lit by the torches on the stone wall. To the left was a grand marble staircase lending to the upper floors. Down the hall to the right Al could see an opening with bright light spilling from the room. As they approached the opening Al saw large double doors pushed aside almost as high as the ceiling itself and from within he could hear laughter and chatting of what could only be the rest of the student body.   
Al suspicions were confirmed as the first years entered the room. The whole student body was there, all of them sitting in the great hall. Al's family had mentioned the great hall before but they never said how brilliant it was. There were the four house tables and in the far back the staff table but that was not the best part, the best part was above the student's heads. There must have been thousands of floating candles, Al wondered if the candles would drip wax on their heads but he figured that were probably enchanted not to, And the ceiling of this magnificent room seemed to open on to the heavens themselves.   
"Keep up!" Professor Sinistra said to the group.  
Al snapped out of it and from the looks of it so did most of the first years including Scorp. The only person not impressed was Rose. As Al looked at her she whispered to him and Scorp "it's only enchanted."  
Al was going to say something back but before he could Scorp said. "Yes, but that doesn't make it any less cool."   
"If you say so" Rose said rolling her eyes at their fellow first years who were still gawking at the ceiling instead of following professor Sinistra to the front of the hall.   
When all of the first years had gathered in the front of the hall, Sinistra called for silence. As silence fell across the hall and the ragged hat upon the stool began to move, Al knew this was it, now or never, the sorting was about to begin.


	2. Roomates

Chapter two: Roommates  
The moment the hat began to move all eyes had become fixed on the on the frayed, singed, dusty, old thing and with a little cough it began to sing.   
To you I'm just an ancient hat needed to be retired  
I realize with my patches and burns I must be quite a show  
But I am useful still despite my appearance  
For there is nothing in your head that I won't know

Just step on up to the stool and sit  
Place me on your head and I will begin to explore  
Every student has traits from all the houses   
But only one house in which they are meant for

You might become a confident Gryffindor  
Overflowing with impetuous daring  
Or maybe a diligent Hufflepuff   
Often patient and caring

You could be a resourceful Slytherin   
Filled with determined ambition   
Or possibly a creative Ravenclaw  
Always using wise intuition

Any house is an honor to be in   
No one house is the best  
Though you may be pitted against each other   
Remember to let old grudges rest

 

I may be a hat but I've never been wrong   
And I think you will agree   
So come on, come up and try me on   
That I might find where you are meant to be  
Applause erupted from the students and staff at the conclusion of the hats song, Sinistra quieted them, giving everyone a warm smile making her a lot less scary then when Al first met her.   
"First years, when I call your name come up here, sit on the stool and place the hat on your head. Once the hat has made its decision you may go and sit at the house table in which you have been sorted." Professor Sinistra said with the sound of clearly having given this speech far too often.   
Next she pulled out a little scroll and began to read names that were to be sorted, alphabetically by last name. An extremely frightened boy was the first to be called when Sinistra shouted "Ashton, Edwin," who was promptly sorted into Gryffindor, he also must have been a muggle born because the boy had to be directed to the correct table as if the shouting and applause wasn't clue enough. He was followed shortly by "Bletchley, Ethan," Slytherin, and "Davies, violet," Ravenclaw. Some took a remarkably short time to sort like Tobias Mulciber, Slytherin. Others were not so easy a girl named Naomi Jordan had to sit there for several awkward minutes before the hat shouted "Gryffindor."  
Sinistra waited from the clapping from the Gryffindors to subside before calling "Malfoy, Scorpius." Scorpius turned to Albus before heading up there.   
"Good luck, Al," Scorpius said looking at Al with a strange mixture of hope and concern.  
"Same too you," Al said   
To which Scorpius responded "thanks, but I don't need it,"  
Sure enough the hat was barely even on his head before it announced "Slytherin" to the on lookers. The Slytherin table went wild as Scorpius went to take his place. They continued to clap as the next boy Markov, Nicolai, who was small and extremely pale, also went Slytherin. It wasn't much longer until his own name was called, it was a good thing too because Al didn't know how much longer his nerves could hold out, with "Potter, Albus" Al turned to Rose hoping to find some sort of last minute strength in her.  
She squeezed his shoulder gentle and said "Good Luck, Al."   
Al took a deep breath, turned walking up to the stool and sat facing the great hall. For a moment he saw all of the students whispering back and forth his name, not Albus but Potter, another famous Potter, before the hat fell over his head obscuring his view.   
Al could only hear his heart pounding away in the darkness until a small voice spoke in the back of his head "Albus Potter. My, my, you are complicated. Cunning, determined, and fair… but where do I put you?"   
"Not in Gryffindor, not with James." Al pleaded   
"Not with James?" the hat asked "Not in the house your father was in?"   
"I don't want to be just James's little brother or Harry Potter's son," Albus thought.  
"Not wanting to live in their shadow eh? But you would do well in Gryffindor." The hat squeaked   
"I guess. That's what my family wants." Al thought disappointedly  
"Hmmm…" the hat pondered "but your know where you really want to go already."  
Al was taken aback and was about to ask how the hat knew that when the hat spoke again.  
"Ha ha ha. There is nothing in your head you can hide from me. You don't want to admit it but you want to be in Slytherin. Don't you?" the hat said knowingly.  
Al knew the hat was right he did want to be with his friend and definitely not with his brother but yet he was still hesitant… "Yes, but I'm scared, scared of what people will say."  
"Don't concern yourself about what people think," The hat said, "it's is your choice to make and yours alone. So what do you want?"  
"I want to be in Slytherin but..." Al thought till the hat cut him off with a shout to the hall. "Slytherin!"  
Al was taken aback the hat hadn't let him finish. He had expected clapping just like when everyone else was sorted, but as the hat was removed from his head, instead of cheers he was greeted with an uncomfortable silence permeated only by the sound of one boy standing up very suddenly.  
"NO!"  
Albus had barely had the change to stand up before the speaker arose in protest, and after realizing it was his own brother, he started to hurry to the Slytherin table as fast as he could without running. He could feel the hot, burning feeling start in his cheeks and slowly spread down his neck and to his ears; it was the only Weasley trait Albus had inherited. "Please shut up" Albus prayed silently as the butterflies began in his stomach.  
"He can't be in Slytherin! I mean come on. Of all people, he can't be a Slytherin!" James said  
"Sit down Mr. Potter!" professor Sinistra growled glowering at James who remained standing.  
"But the hat has to be wr…" James started.  
"Sit unless your wish for Gryffindor to start the year off in the negatives," Professor Sinistra said.   
As James took his seat, heavily prompted by his fellow Gryffindors who were tugging at his robes, Albus also had found his seat next to Scorpius, who gave him an encouraging smile as Al sank as low in his seat as humanly possible, his face bright red. He began to feel sick.   
The sorting ceremony continued with a Leslie Puffet, Hufflepuff, Kevin Randle, Ravenclaw, and Bernie Smith, also Hufflepuff. But even so Albus could still feel eyes still on him as I looked down at his hands, he could hear the hushed whispers of the Slytherins. "How can a Potter be in our house?", "My uncles I Azkaban cus of his family." Al's stomach was turning the only thing that pulled him back to the sorting was "Weasley, Rose."   
Rose walked up and sat on the stool. Sinistra placed the hat on her bushy red hair. It took a full minute before the hat shouted Gryffindor. Al's heart sank he knew she wouldn't be in Slytherin but he still hoped it would be anything but Gryffindor. From what his family always said he knew Slytherins and Gryffindors were never friends.   
Albus watched as Rose walked to her seat but as she passed the Gryffindors Al's eyes meet with James. James was glaring at him with an intense hatred. Al looked back down at his hands.  
"Ignore him Al, Slytherins a great house. " Scorpius said "and if nothing else you'll have me around."   
Al looked up at Scorp who was smiling at him uneasily he too had heard the other Slytherins. Al's nerves had finally gotten to him and he felt queasy.  
"I feel sick." Al said.   
"What?" Scorp replied.  
"I have to go." Al stood up luckily being near the back of the hall I didn't make much of a scene but he could still hear a couple of laughs and a quiet "wait" from Scorp as he ran.   
As he made it to the dark hallway he leaned against the cold marble wall sliding down the length of it. Curled up Al's head rested on his knees. He no longer felt sick just depressed. Tears were welling up in his eyes threating to stream down his face. What had he done? He told the hat he wanted to be in Slytherin? Why? His family is never going to accept that, sure maybe his dad and Rose but what about all the others? What could he possibly do? Not to mention a lot of the Slytherins have family in jail because of his dad and the Auror's who work with him.  
It was not long till he heard someone walking into the hall. Al looked up to see a skinny man about his father's age with black hair and long deep green wizards robes. The man looked around for a bit till he spotted Albus and walked over to him.  
"Ah there you are." He said walking over to him. "Albus Right? I'm Professor Nott head of Slytherin house and potions master."  
Albus finished wiping his face on his sleeve before he spoke. "hello." he said.  
"So what's wrong?" Nott said knelling down to Al's height   
"I'm … I'm not feeling well." Al said.  
"Er… well the sorting is kind of nerve racking for everyone, but I can't imagine what it's like for you, being sorted in Slytherin and all." He said "but the hat is never wrong… Slytherin is where you must belong."  
"I know I have been told that but it's hard to believe." Al said.  
"Hopefully in time you can understand but remember despite what you hear, Slytherins aren't evil we are what we choose to become." Nott told Him.  
Al looked up at him. This was now the second Slytherin he had meet that was genuinely nice to him maybe his family got it wrong.   
Nott asked if he would like to go back inside or if he would like to go to the hospital wing for a calming draught. Albus was just about to responded when clapping and noise erupted from the great hall shortly followed by a small blond boy.   
"Al!" Scorpius shouted and ran forward.  
Al smiled he was glad Scorp followed him.   
"Malfoy, right?" Professor Nott said.  
"Yes, the ceremony just ended so I came to see if Al was alright." Scorp said.  
"I'm alright" Al said to Scorp then turning back to Professor Nott "but I don't want to go back into the hall."  
Nott smiled down at Al "that's okay. How about a calming draught and sandwiches for the both of you in the hospital wing? And when you're done I'll send a prefect to come get you."  
Al agreed and they went down to the hospital wing together. He and Scorp stayed as Nott returned to the Feast.   
The moment Nott had left and given them sandwiches, Al asked about what he had missed. Scorp informed Al of the headmaster, Filtwick,'s speech, about how the forest is off limits and the students shouldn't be out after hours. "So basically the stuff our parents told us before we came here." Scorpius concluded.   
But before Al could speak Mr. Pye came round with the potion. He was a young man with dark curly hair and looked to be in his late 40's.   
"Here" He said thrusting the bottle into Albus's hands. "Drink this. And you can leave whenever the prefect comes but if you still feel sick tomorrow come back."  
Al muttered a word of thanks as he uncorked the bottle. The liquid inside was brown and had the smell of lemongrass. He drank it and was surprised it didn't taste bad; in fact it was comparable to tea. A wave of relief came over him as his butterflies died down. He handed the bottle back to Mr. Pye who took it and when back into his office.   
"Scorp what was I thinking." Albus said not look directly at him  
"wha oo you mean?" Scorp asked halfway through a bite of a sandwich.   
"I told the hat I wanted to be I Slytherin." Al looked down at the plate of food still not hungry. "My dad helped put some of the Slytherins family members in jail not to mention almost all of my family was in Gryffindor. How could I ever think I could be accepted?"   
Al looked up at Scorpius in time to see him sighing and putting down his sandwich. He looked up at Albus with his clear blue eyes "Al the Slytherins who are going to hate you are going to hate me too." He said.  
Al didn't understand from what he was told the Malfoy's were a very old wizarding family with tons of connections to the death eaters who worked with Voldemort.   
"My dad was on the Dark lord's side and during the war he ran and betrayed the death eaters just like my grandfather did when the dark lord fell the first time. In fact after the war everyone who was not on the dark lord's side thought of him as a death eater and all the dark lords' followers thought him a traitor. If it wasn't for your dads help he wouldn't have gotten his job at the ministry."  
Al hadn't been told that but he still wasn't convinced. "But you still know people your dad still had f…"  
Scorp cut him off before he could finish "no, Al my dad's an ambassador we moved to Germany when I was three I don't remember living in England. We came back here to take care of my grandmother when my grandfather died. I was eight. But he never had any friends over, he never spoke of anyone, according to mum he burned those bridges years ago. So no I don't know anyone."  
"I didn't know" Al was taken aback he had no idea that he and Scorp were both so similar. "If that is the case why did you get in Slytherin?"  
Scorp answered picking up his sandwich again "well there's no other place I belong."  
They stayed there eating for another hour till girl short with long dark hair in Slytherin robes came she had a prefect badge and introduced herself to them.  
"Hey you two names Eleanor Blishwick I will be taking you to the dorm, follow me" she turned on her heel without a word from either of them and began to walk out.  
Albus and Scorpius jumped up to follow her. She took them down several stair cases until the window disappeared and Al knew they were in the dungeons of Hogwarts. The stone walls were covered with tapestries and portraits till one damp stone wall which was curiously plain she stopped I front of it and turned to them.  
"Alright this is the entrance to the dorm the password is Merlin's Beard." As she said this wall slide aside to reveal a large common room with a huge fire place and from the celling chains held silver lanterns that emitted a green light in fact the whole room seem to have a greenish glow. Eleanor stepped in to the room and as they followed her the wall closed behind her.  
"The password changes every fortnight" she continued "and the new one will be posted on that board over there." She pointed to their left where there was a blank notice board. "That is also where clubs will post things as well so it's always good to check that out.   
"Now don't ever tell anyone except a Slytherin the password. Also house points we play to win so most the time us prefects don't care what you do but we will if you're stupid enough to get caught doing it so keep that in mind. If you ever need help ask any Slytherin especially us prefects we are proud of the fact that we take care of our own and a Slytherin will lead you right. I'd avoid asking anything of the Gryffindors, because they have a habit giving Slytherin first year the wrong directions for fun. I once found a kid trying to find the herbology class on the third floor.   
"Also we have a ghost the bloody baron, don't ask about the blood. Oh and If you'll look at the windows you can see the dorm is actually under the lake sometimes you can see the giant squid out swimming or you may see some merpeople.   
"What else … Schedules will be handed out at breakfast tomorrow. Oh and do either of you have an owl?" Al nodded   
"well if you want to send letters you'll have to release your owl out here. See that hole over there?" she pointed up to a corner near the entrance where a dark hole was in the celling. "that leads up all the way up to the owlery.  
" And I think that's it, boys dorms are to the left your door should have a label saying first years. You guys are back before everyone else so you will be able to pick your beds. So if you two don't have any questions I'm going to bed." She waited a bit for them to shake their heads and then proceeded to leave down the hall to the right to the female dorms.  
Al began to look about the dorm was built in a circular fashion the grand fire place was directly opposite the entrance and the common room walls were painted with murals of famous Slytherins and the stone floor was covered with rugs surrounded by high backed chairs and Victorian hump backed couches.   
Albus wished it was daylight. The tall arched windows on the same wall as the fire place and the large domed circular window above their heads were pitch black and he couldn't see any of the lake.   
Scorp had been looking around too. "Too bad the windows are dark but in the morning we should be able to see the bottom of the lake." Scorp said to Al  
They walked over to the boys dorms and found there room Al was the first one in he noticed all their stuff had been haul down for them.  
The room was long and the beds were lined up against the wall to his left with a short dresser between each of them. The beds were made of dark mahogany wood and had emerald green silk hanging trimmed with silver tread. The walls across from the beds were all glass and looked out into the lake.  
Al and Scorpius picked up their stuff moving it to a bed; Al took the bed furthest from the door and Scorp to the bed next to his they had only just put on their pajamas and begun to unpack when they heard voices in the common room. Students thundered down the hall passed their door till finally their door was opened by the small pale boy who Al saw being sorted. He was followed by a tough looking boy and another boy with short brown hair and glasses.   
The boy with the glasses was the first to speak "hello, Evan Bletchley," he out stretched his hand to Scorp who took it and replied with "Scorpius."  
He turned to Albus "and you're the Potter kid who ran out of the hall." Bletchley said indifferently But unlike with Scorp he didn't offer his hand.   
"Yeah, my names Albus but I go by Al." Al stuck out his hand to Bletchley attempting to shake hands with him but Bletchley turned and join the tough looking kid who had begun to unpack instead of introducing himself.  
The pale kid grabbed Al's hand instead "I'm Nicolai I go by Nick." He said in a thick accent.  
"Are you Russian?" Scorp asked.   
"No Romanian" Nick replied   
"Romanian? Why didn't you go to Durmstrang then?" Scorp said  
"well I get sick easy and only Hogwarts would accept Me." he said   
"Sick with what?" Al asked   
"Uh…Somnambulism it's sleep walking." Nick said as he left to take the middle bed between Scorp and Evan.   
"That doesn't sound too bad." Scorp said   
Nick just shrugged his shoulders and continued to unpack. Al was about to go do the same until Scorp addressed the third boy.  
"So what's your name then?"   
He froze half way through putting a pair of shorts in to his dresser "Tobias Mulciber." He growled without turning to face them. After he spoke he sat on his bed and shut the curtains on them.  
"So what are you doing in Slytherin?" Evan asked Albus. "Aren't you supposed to be in Gryffindor?"  
"I didn't want to be in Gryffindor." He said   
"why?"  
"Because my brothers a git."  
"That still doesn't answer why you're in Slytherin."  
"I don't know that hat placed me here I must be here for a reason."  
"Yeah well we'll see." He said and then sat and closed his curtain.  
Al went back to unpacking, trying not to think of how much his new roommates don't like him. Scorp came up beside him.  
"Don't worry, Al, tomorrow will be better." He whispered   
"yeah" Al said he couldn't see how but maybe things would be better.  
"well I have to write to my parents dad I'll want to know I got in Slytherin." Scorp said going over to sit on his bed using one of his text books as a desk.  
That reminded Al, after all that happened tonight, Rose, James, uncle bills kids Victoria, Dominique, and Louis, and also Percy's daughter molly would want to tell the family that he got in to Slytherin. All of them being at Hogwarts they may have already sent out their own letters, which would mean tomorrow at breakfast he would be receiving letters from every single last one of his uncles and aunts, except maybe charley, and his granddad would have something to say about this too. Al could only pray that none of the letters were howlers.   
He went over to his bed and like Scorpius took out paper and a textbook and began to write. Albus had promised he would write to them.

DEAR MUM AND DAD,  
If you have already gotten a letter from James then I should tell you I'm not in Gryffindor and if you did get James letter already you already know that I'm in Slytherin. Don't worry I asked the hat to put me in Slytherin. I met a friend on the train and he said he was going to be in Slytherin and well he is the first friend I've ever had….and about my friend don't be upset but he's a Malfoy. Scorp's a first year like me and we both are in Slytherin. I think we're going to be really good friends. My other roommates are really nice in fact were already best mates. I sure it's going to be great in Slytherin. And if you can please explain to the reset of the family, I know there not going to understand. But don't worry about me I'm very happy here.   
Love Albus 

Al finished his letter and sealed it. He knew if he told them all about his roommates not liking him his mum would worry. He couldn't do that to her it was bad enough she would have to deal with the rest of the family. Al walked over to Ptolemy he opened one eye as Al opened the cage. "Come on" Al said indicating for him to step on Al's arm which he did. Al took him to the door he wasn't sure how he was going to tell the owl to fly up through the hole but somehow Ptolemy just knew and took off when he opened the door. He watched him fly away wishing he could go too.   
Al went back inside Scorp was sealing his letter too and nick had already gone to bed. He said goodnight to Scorp and closed his curtains behind him.   
For the first time in Albus's life he felt truly alone. Growing up he always had his family around not just his immediate family but his whole family. Al couldn't remember a time when there wasn't at least one of his cousin at their house, And Rose. Rose was always there when Al had his nightmares. He used to ,when he was little, go and curl up with his parents but when he got too old for that he would go and get into Rose's bed. Now there was no one, all his cousins were in Gryffindor, well except Dominique she was in Ravenclaw. Al laid their missing Rose and his Parents dearly silent tears rolling down his face until finally the sound of the waves lapping against the side of the windows put him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I hope to have the next chapter out before May. Being in school really sucks the time out of my day other wise I would write faster. also it takes me a while to research so I can follow the canon to the letter.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first chapter of the first year for Albus Potter. there will be more to come.


End file.
